JACKSONVILLE – In one of the more unique endurance events in Jacksonville, the runway at NASJAX became the platform for a running five kilometer race Thursday morning with nearly 400 military and military-related athletes rising at 6 a.m. for the 7 a.m. start. The race was staged by 1st Place Sports of Jacksonville.

As runners headed west on one runway past cargo planes and jet hangars, early leader Joseph Rivera, 50, of Orange Park, broke from a pack of three runners with St. Johns Country Day School seventh grader state cross country runner Matthew Stratton among them, taking chase on the 1.25 mile straightaway start from the base flight tower just off the St. Johns River.

As Rivera kept his lead through the two mile mark which included a left run past a sitting helicopter, Stratton and pack mates Alex Bolt, 17, and Derek Schanze, 26, closed the gap and started to reel in the courageous Rivera.

Meanwhile, in the women’s race, with her two young children in a jogging stroller shouting encouragement from afront, Crystal Davis, 23, of Jacksonville, proved the strength of motherhood was in her back pocket as she stayed in the top 10 runners overall throughout the early part of the race.

Up front, as Rivera led Bolt and company past a picturesque Jacksonville city skyline to their east, the top four runners started to bunch up for a final surge to the finish line back at the flight tower.

Bolt made his move with just a half mile on the course with Schanze giving close chase as Rivera hung on to hold off Stratton. At the finish, Bolt cruised in with a 19 minute, 25 second win with Schanze in at 19:36, Rivera third at 19:44 and Stratton the fourth runner in and the final sub-20 minute finisher at 19:56.

Davis had her mobile cheering section pointing out the “cool” finish line area with planes and hangars around as mom sprinted in at seventh overall at 21:52. Second female was Eric Klein, 15, in 24:04 for 32nd overall with Calista Arkin, 16, third at 24:12 for 35th overall.

For the women, age group winners were Hannah King, 25, in 24-29, in 25:58 for 126th overall; Aixa Perez, 37, in 30-39, in 28:44 for 85th overall; Ruby Garcia, 45, in 40-49, in 28:30 for 82nd overall and Alice Ciani, 54, in 50-plus, in 29:07 for 92nd overall.

For the men, age group winners were Bolt in 17-Under, Steve Sedier, 20, in 18-23 in 21:53 for eighth overall, Schanze in 24-29, Allen Mathis,36, in 30-39 in 22:07 for 11th overall, Mike Connor, 45, in 40-49 in 21:54 for ninth overall and Rivera in 50-Up over Keith Poythress, 53, of Orange Park, second in 22:51 for 18th overall.

On June 23, runners got to run the Everbank Stadium levels and field in the Jaguars Stache Dash 5K run with Mark Goetz, 43, the male winner in 19:21 and Lydia McRae, 35, the female winner, in 19:07.

On July 4, runners had two options, the Keystone Heights “Our County Day” 5K or the Jacksonville Celebration Run 5K on Baymeadows.

Upcoming races in July include the Vestcor Bridge Run on July 22 in downtown Jacksonville with runners cresting the Acosta Bridge, the infamous Tour de Pain on August 11 and the new Cecil Field Pre-Season Classic on Augustin 18, a preview of the area’s best high school cross country runners and also an open race at the Cecil Field Golf Course.

August 19 features the Hammerhead Triathlon Club’s Ocean Marathon Swim (1.5 miles and 2.5 miles) in Jacksonville Beach.